Hypodermic syringe



Sept. 4, 1951 T. E. WATSON 2,567,001

' HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed Feb. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 4, 1951T. E. WATSON HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed Feb. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. WM W1 Patented Sept. 4; 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12Claims.

This invention relates to hypodermic syringes and more particularly todisposable syringes and medicament cartridges therefor for use inparenteral administration of medicaments which require reconstitution ordissolution by the addition of water or other liquids before they may beI injected.

In current medical practice it is frequently desirable to havemedicaments for hypodermic injection prepared in advance in exactdosages. It is furthermore desirable that these dosages be stored indisposable ampoules or cartridges, not to be refilled, so that danger ofcontamination of a subsequent reloading may be eliminated. Whiledisposable ampoules for storing a single liquid preparation ready forinjection have heretofore appeared, cartridges designed to holdseparately two or more ingredients, such as a powder and a liquid inwhich the powder is soluble, and to provide for the mixing of theseingredients momentarily before their injection, have not to my knowledgebeen available in a form in which they could be inserted unbroken into asyringe, and discarded after use. Furthermore, when many patients are tobe treated, as in mass innoculations or in a field hospital or otheremergency station, it may be very desirable to have available at lowcost a large number of simply constructed syringes and suitablemedicament cartridges therefor, all of which can be used and thrown awaywith little economic loss, or the cartridges may be thrown away, and thesyringes may be saved for subsequent re-sterilization and re-loadingwhen opportunity is present.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a hypodermicsyringe and a prefillable ampoule for use therewith, of such simple andeconomical construction that the ampoule may be discarded after use, oralternatively the entire syringe may be disposed of with little economicloss.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disposabledual-chambered ampoule for use with a hypodermic syringe, arranged to'hold separately two medicaments, or a medicament and a reconstitutingliquid, and to permit the mixture of these materials just prior to theirinjection. Examples of such materials, in addition to lyophilized,dessicated, or Sublimated medicaments requiring liquefaction, arepenicillin and its salts which it is desirable toadminister in the formof crystals to insure prolonged adsorption and which are unstable ifsuspended in an aqueous solution for too long a period of time, andmaterials which in suspension tend to calc or lump or in which thecrystals tend to growif prepared too long a time before use.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an ampoule or cartridgefor the purpose above stated so constructed that it may be used with aminimum of wastage of medicaments, that it may be filled easily andinserted in the syringe rapidly, and that it may provide for aspirationby the medical attendant to insure proper intravenous location of thehypodermic needle.

bther objects and useful advantages of my invention will be specificallyset forth as the following description of preferred and modifiedembodiments of my invention proceeds, or will be apparent from thedescription considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in.which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred form of myimproved syringe, showing the dual-chambered ampoule or cartridgeinserted therein in a position in which it might be carried prior touse;

Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 aresectional views on the same plane of section asFigure 1, showing successive stages of movement of the cartridge as itis put into use, Figure 2 showing one of the chambers of the cartridgepunctured by a cannula, Figure 3 showing both of the chambers puncturedand joined by the cannula, Figure 4 showing the first chamber contractedto expel its contents to the second chamber; and Figure 5 showing thesecond chamber contracted to expel the mixture of contents through thehypodermic needle;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of syringeand cartridge, shown in the same relative positions as the showing ofFigure 1;

Figure 7 is a view of the modified form in the same relative position asthe showing of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane of sectionindicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Having reference now to the details of the drawings and particularly tothe details of that embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1to 5, I have shown a cylindrical block 9 which serves as a needle holderand has a projection l0 centrally disposed at one end and surrounded bya flat annular surface H which, as'will hereinafter be seen, forms anabutment or plunger head for effecting movement of the syringe parts. Acannular needle l2, of the type commonly used for hypodermic injectionof medicaments, is mounted in the needle holder 9 and has one end, whichmay be termed a cannula I3, extending from the abutment II parallel tothe projection I0, and its injection end I4 extending from the oppositeend I5 of the needle holder. From the end I5 of the needle holder thereextends outwardly and then towards and beyond the abutment end I I, acartridge guide I6, adapted to receive slidably a medicament cartridgeI1. The cartridge guide I6 may be in the form of a cylindrical sleeve,but preferably it is simply a plurality of guide rails I8 joined to theend I5 of the needle holder II! by a spider I9 and joined at their otherends by an annular flange which provides a finger grip for thepractitioner. The spider I9 holds the guide rails I8 sufiiciently spacedfrom the needle holder 9 to permit the shell of the cartridge I! toencompass the needle holder.

, The cartridge I! has a tubular body or shell 2! preferably constrictedat one end to form a dome 22 which is sealed. A dam 23 closes the otherend .of the cartridge body 2!, and intermediately of the dam 23 and thedome 22 is another dam 24, the interior cavity of the cartridge beingthus divided into chambers and 26. The dams 23 and 24 fit slidably inthe cartridge body 2I in the manner of plunger heads. The cartridge bodyjust above the inner dam 24 may be scored to produce an interior annularridge 2! of sufiicient height to resist inward sliding movement of thedam 24 under light pressure. The dams 23 and 24 are, however, made ofpuncturable material, ,such as rubber, and this material is suificientlyyielding to permit both the dams to be pushed past the ridge 21, as willbe hereinafter described. It may be here noted that the dams 23 and 24are of substantial and approximately equal thickness and that the depthof the chamber 25 between the dams is substantially equal to the sum .ofthethicknesses of the dams.

' The dams 23 and 24 have, respectively, central orifices 39 and 3I,.theorifice 3| in the inner dam "24 being slightly larger than the orifice30. A Ihollow cylindrical member 32, having a closed end 133, is fittedinto the orifice 3 I, the end 33 extend- .ing inwardly so as to enterthe dome 22 as a dome within a dome. The member 32 has an annularcorrugation 34, convex on its outer side, which serves, among otherpurposes, to retain the memher 32 posited against the wall of theorifice 3I A sleeve 35, of suitable diameter to enter the tubular bodyof the member 32, is fitted into the orifice of the dam 23 and is sealedexternally to the member 32 by a packing ring 36, which lmay be a rubberO-ring, nested in the concavity of the corrugation 34. The domed end 33of the member 32. has sufficient height to permit ,the sleeve 35 toenter it to the extent required when the dams 23 and 24 are contiguous.

At, a height above the abutment I I substantially equal to the thicknessof either of the dams 23 and 24, the cannula I3 is provided with alateral orifice 38. The cannula I3 extends above the orifice 38approximately three times the height of the orifice above the abutmentII, so that 'jwhen the abutment is in contact with the dam 23, theorifice 38 will be just within the chamber 25 and the cannula willextend through the chamber 25 and through the dam 24 with its sharpenedend 39 just within the chamber 26.

A needle guard 40 is provided which may be removably pressed upon a boss4| on the needle holder 9, and which contains in its lower end a sealingcompound such as soft wax 42, into which the injection end I4 of theneedle I3 extends SO as to be sealed thereby until the needle guard isremoved.

In the operation of the above-described embodiment of my invention, thesublimated or crystalline medicament is placed in the chamber 26 and thedam 24, with the tubular member 32 and O-ring 36 in place, is pushedinto position against the annular ridge 2?. The chamber 25 is thenfilled with water or other suitable liquid and the dam 23 is then placedin the open end of the cartridge with the sleeve 35 extending into thetubular member 32 and being sealed by the O-ring. Surplus liquid caughtwithin the passage formed by the sleeve 35 and tubular member 32 maythen be poured 01f.

When the cartridge I! is inserted between the cartridge guides I8 andpressed inwardly, the cannula I3 will puncture the dam 23 and extendacross the chamber 25, as shown in Figure 2. At the same time, theprojection II) will enter the sleeve '35 and tend to keep the dam 23from becoming disoriented or twisted within the cartridge shell 2| as aresult of elf-center pressure exerted by the cannula upon the dam.Little liquid, if any, will be lost through the lateral orifice 38before it is sealed by the dam 23, as after the cannula has pierced thedam its progress will be rapid and there will be insufiicient pressureupon the dam to force liquid from the chamber 25. Further pressure uponthe cartridge I! will cause the cannula to puncture the dam 24 and willbring the orifice 38 into the chamber 25 and the abutment II intocontact with the dam 23, as shown in Figure 3. The projection I0 andsleeve 35 meanwhile slide withinthe tubular member 32 to maintain thedam 24 in alignment while it is being punctured. Continued pressure onthe cartridge will cause the abutment I I to press the dam 23 inwardlyagainst the dam 24, as illustrated in Figure 4, the liquid contents ofthe chamber 25 thus being expelled through the cannula into the chamber26 as the chamber 25 is ,collapsed under pressure.

With both the liquid and solid contents of the cartridge nowconsolidated in the chamber 26, the syringe may be shaken to causeliquefaction of the medicament, and the needle guard 40 may beremoved,thus unsealing the needle. When the needle has been inserted in thepatient, the cartridge may be pressed home against the abutment II,forcing both the dams 23 and 24 past the annular ridge 2'! to theposition shown in Figure 5. Both the cannula I3 and the domed tubularmember 32 enter the dome 22 of the cartridge, expelling the liquidmixture therefrom so that there is little loss of medicament.

In Figures 6 and 7, I have illustrated a modified form of my inventionin which a needle holder 'needle 47 are preferably disposeddiametrically oppositely in the needle holder 45; therefore they willexert pressure on opposite sides of the dams, and a central guidingprojection may be dispensed with. Cartridge guide rails 58, spaced fromthe needle holder 45 by a spider 5I and connected by an annular flange52 are provided as and for the purpose hitherto mentioned.

Modificationsmay-alsobe made-in'the cartridge 54 The constricted portion55hof:the cartridge shell 56 may be open at its outer end" and mayrugations on the margins 6i! are proportioned to 'receive the annularridge 6| on the cartridge shell 56, it will be found that they will holdthe dams normal-to the axis of the cartridge as they successivelyreceive the ridge.

Thedams 58 and 59 have, respectively, central orifices 63 and 64, theadjacent marginsof which are connected and sealed by a pliable tube 65,of material such asthin rubber sheeting, adapted to bend and fold inthe-manner of an accordion as the dams approach one another. The innerdam 59 has a tubular member 66 mounted" in the inner margin of itsorifice 64, this tubular member being closed to form a dome adapted toenter the constricted portion or dome 55.

To fill the cartridge 54, the'dam 59 is inserted in the open end of thecartridge shell and pushed in until the dam 58 is about to seal thecartridge. Liquid is then injected into the chamber 61 between the damsunderthe edge of the dam 58 and the two dams are pushed into place, anysuitable rod being inserted through the orifices B3 and 64 and thepliable tube 65 to push the-dam 59 against the ridge 6|. The solidmedicament may then be placed in the inner chamber 68 through theconstriction 55 Which is then sealed by the cap 51.

When the cartridge 54 is inserted between the guide rails 56 and pressedtoward the needle holder 45, the cannula 46 and cannular needle end49-Will successively puncture the dams 58 and '59. The cannula acts inthe same manneras in the preferred form of the inventionto admit theliquid in the chamber 61 to the chamber 68. From the beginning of themovement of the dam 58 to collapse the chamber 61, the cannular needleend #9 is sealed against or in the dam 59; therefore liquid can not beexpelled from the chamber 61 directly to the needle, and the necessityfor a needle guard and wax seal is obviated. The practitioner willnormally point the needle injection end upward when the cannular end 49has entered the inner chamber 68.

The pliable rubber closure 51 permits the practitioner to aspirate bloodfrom the patient when the needle has penetrated the chamber 68, in orderto ascertain whether the needle has been placed in a blood vessel.

The cartridge 54 may also be used with the needle holder 9 and cartridgeguide l6 of the preferred embodiment of my invention, as the orifices53. and 64, pliable tube 65, and tubular member 66 form a passage whichmay receive the projection. iii. When either form of cartridge, l1 or54, has been used with either syrirge body, it may be quickly removedtherefrom, to be discarded, as the spaced guide rails I3 or 50 permitthe practitioner to place his fingers under the lower edge of thecartridge to exert retracting force. It will be seen that the syringebodies themselves are of very simple construction and with the exceptionof the needles and cannulas may be extruded from plastic material atlittle cost, and therefore constitute no great economic loss if alsodiscarded when time is lacking for sterilization.

I wish it to be understood that changes may be i made in the form andarrangement of my improved syringe and yet fall within the scope andspirit of my invention, and that this detailed de- 6 scription-andshowingof preferred and modified embodiments ofmy invention is not to betaken inalimiting sense, as the invention is best defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A hypodermic syringe comprising: a cartridge having a closed end; aplurality of transverse dams of puncturable material slidably carriedwithin the internal cavity of said cartridge and normally dividing saidcavity into a plurality of chambers arranged in successionlongitudinally of said cartridge; guide means having aneedle holder atone end, for uiding said; cartridge in movement toward said needleholder, said needle holder having an abutment adapted to enter saidcartridge to first move the outermost of said dams into contiguity withthe next inwardly succeeding dam and then to move the contiguous dams twards said closed end so as successively to collapse said chambers; andcannular means carried by said needle holder and inclusive of ahypodermic needle, for successively puncturing said dams to permitevacuation of the contents of said chambers requisite to thecollapse ofsaid chambers, and having a lateral opening arranged to permit thecontents of one chamber to fioW into the succeeding chamber when theintervening dam has been punctured, said opening being so spaced fromsaid'needle holder as to be sealed by one of said dams when all but thelast of said chambers has been collapsed said sealing then directingflow of the contents of said last chamber through said needle.

2. A hypodermic syringe comprising: a needle holder; a cartridge; guidemeans extending'from said needle holders for guiding said cartridge inmovement toward said needle holder; a hypodermic needle rigidly held bysaid needle holder and extending therethroughand outwardly therefromoppositely to said guide means; a cannula rigidly held by said needleholder and extending therefrom in the same direction as said guidemeans, and having a sole lateral opening; a plurality of puncturabledams mounted slidably within said cartridge and dividing said cartridgeinto chambers normally sealed one from another; said cannula beingarranged and adapted to puncture said dams successively and to providecommunication from one of said chambers to a succeeding chamber throughsaid lateral opening, said needle communicating with chambers entered bysaid cannula; and means responsive to advancement of said cartridgetoward said needle holder for moving one of said dams into contiguitywith the next succeeding dam and then for moving said dams as a unit toexpel the contents of said chambers through said needle.

3. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 2 in which said cannula andsaid needle are integral and form a continuous passage.

4. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 2 in which said needle isdistinct from said cannula and has a portion extending from said needleholder in the direction in which said cannula extends, said portionbeing of lesser extent than said cannula. I

5. A hypodermic syringe comprising: a needle holder; a cartridge; guidemeans extending from said needle holder for guiding said cartridge inmovement toward said needle holder; a hypodermic needle extendingthrough said needle holder and outwardly therefrom oppositely to saidguide means; a cannula held by said needle holder and extendingtherefrom in the same direction as said guide means, and having alateral opening; a plurality of puncturable dams mounted slidably withinsaid cartridge and dividing said cartridge into chambers normally sealedone from another; each of said dams having a central orifice; tubularmeans connecting the margins of said orifices and forming a sealedpassage between said dams; a dome on the innermost of said damsextending into the innermost of said chambers and forming a continuationof said sealed passage; and a projection on said needle holder adaptedto enter said passage substantially coincidentally with contact of saidcannula with the outermost of said dams, for maintaining alignment ofsaid dams during puncture thereof by said cannula.

6. A hypodermic syringe comprising: a needle holder; a cartridge; guidemeans extending from said needle holder for guiding said cartridge inmovement toward said needle holder; a hypodermic needle extendingthrough said needle holder and outwardly therefrom oppositely to saidguide means; a cannula held by said needle holder and extendingtherefrom in the same direction as said guide means, and having alateral opening; a plurality of puncturable dams mounted slidably withinsaid cartridge and dividing said cartridge into chambers normally sealedone from another; each of said dams having a central orifice; a tube ofpliable material connecting the orifices of adjacent dams and forming asealed passage between s .ld dams; and an abutment on said needle holderadapted to enter an end of said cartridge to cause movement of said damstoward the other end of said cartridge.

'7. A hypodermic syringe comprising: a cartridge; a plurality oftransverse dams of puncturable material slidably carried within theinternal cavity of said cartridge and normally dividing said cavity intoa plurality of chambers arranged in succession longitudinally of saidcartridge; a needle holder; a hypodermic needle extending through saidholder and having an inner end adapted to puncture said dams; guidemeans for slidably holding said cartridge for movement toward saidneedle end; plunger means adapted to enter an end of said cartridge formoving said dams toward the other end of said cartridge to collapse saidchambers; and cannula means carried by said plunger means and having asharp end for successively puncturing said dams, and having a lateralopening spaced from said sharp end to permit flow of the contents of onechamber to another chamber when said cannula means has punctured theintervening dam.

8. A cartridge for use in a hypodermic syringe comprising: a tubularbody; and a plurality of transverse dams of puncturable materialslidably mounted in said body and dividing said body into chambersadapted to communicate one with another when the intervening dams arepunctured and to be successively collapsed by 8 movement "of'one daminto contiguity with a succeeding inward dam and then by movement ofsaid dams as a unit longitudinally of said body.

9. A cartridge for use in a hypodermic syringe, comprising: a tubularbody constricted at one end to form a tubular dome, and a plurality oftransverse dams slidably mounted in said body and dividing said bodyinto chambers, that one of said dams adjacent said body end having acylindrical raised portion adapted to enter said dome to displace thecontents thereof when said one dam is moved toward said dome.

10. A cartridge for use in a hypodermic syringe, comprising: a tubularbody constricted at one end to form a tubular dome, and a plurality oftransverse dams slidably mounted in said body and dividing said bodyinto chambers, that one of said dams adjacent said body end having atubular dome adapted to enter the dome of said body, and the nextadjacent dam having guide means adapted to enter slidingly the dome ofsaid one dam whereby said dams are maintained in parallel relationshiptransversely of said body while being moved therein.

11. A cartridge for use in a hypodermic syringe, comprising: a tubularbody constricted at one end to form a tubular dome; a plurality oftransverse dams slidably mounted in said body and dividing said bodyinto chambers, that one of said dams adjacent said body end having acentral orifice and a tubular dome surmounting and sealed to the marginsof said orifice and adapted to enter said body dome, and the nextadjacent dam having a central orifice; and a tube of pliable materialconnecting the margins of said orifices and forming a sealed passagetherebetween and adapted to fold when subjected to end pressure.

12. A cartridge for use in a hypodermic syringe, comprising: a tubularbody; a plurality of transverse dams slidably mounted in said body anddividing said body into a succession of chambers, said dams being ofmaterial adapted to be punctured by a cannular needle; and a pliableclosure for the end of said body toward which said needle would be movedin puncturing said dams, whereby that chamber adjacent said closure maybe used as an aspiration chamber when said needle has entered therein.

THOMAS E. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

